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Windows 7: Scareware Authors Now Offer Live Tech Support

Scareware pushers have upped their cheating techniques are and now offering live chat and localization for their deceptive products. Security researchers reveal that technical support is provided by real people.

Scareware, also known as rogueware, refers to malicious applications that pose as legit antivirus products and try to convince users to pay for license fees. To achieve this they employ scare tactics which involve displaying fake security alerts and claiming that computers are infected with fictitious threats.

However, a new scareware variant called “Security Master AV” and discovered by security researchers from Kaspersky Lab takes the deception to whole new levels. The antivirus vendor warns that not only does the interface display an online Support button, but it is actually completely functional.

people offering to come round to your house to install viruses - and get paid for it?

There is a scam running in Australia (probably other countries too) where they actually ring you up and tell you they have 'found that your computer is infected and for a fee will remove it remotely'.

They straight out ask for your credit card or bank account login details in order 'to remove the virus remotely'.

Once the gullible have handed over their details, the victim follows all the step-by-step instructions and once done, they then remote into your computer and infect you by installing keyloggers, trojans etc

At the first sign of encountering someone who is not naive, they hang up immediately.

people offering to come round to your house to install viruses - and get paid for it?

There is a scam running in Australia (probably other countries too) where they actually ring you up and tell you they have 'found that your computer is infected and for a fee will remove it remotely'.

They straight out ask for your credit card or bank account login details in order 'to remove the virus remotely'.

Once the gullible have handed over their details, the victim follows all the step-by-step instructions and once done, they then remote into your computer and infect you by installing keyloggers, trojans etc

At the first sign of encountering someone who is not naive, they hang up immediately.

people offering to come round to your house to install viruses - and get paid for it?

There is a scam running in Australia (probably other countries too) where they actually ring you up and tell you they have 'found that your computer is infected and for a fee will remove it remotely'.

They straight out ask for your credit card or bank account login details in order 'to remove the virus remotely'.

Once the gullible have handed over their details, the victim follows all the step-by-step instructions and once done, they then remote into your computer and infect you by installing keyloggers, trojans etc

At the first sign of encountering someone who is not naive, they hang up immediately.

So not quite door to door, but pretty damn close...

This is quite prevalant in the UK at the moment. they phone you up claiming to be Microsoft and "prove" it by telling you that all the "warnings" in Event Viewer are viruses. I know Corrine has a link to a technet post on it, I can't find it at the moment

While this is really funny, it's also nothing new.
I have considered Norton to be a (albeit "safe") virus for a while now, this just shows that someone recognized a good idea.

~Lordbob[/QUOTE]

[/QUOTE]

The most valuable program ever put out by Symantec is the "Norton Removal Tool".
I use it on every call to any computer that I've never worked on before.

I made a service call to a lady's house one day, where Norton AV was telling her it found a virus but could not remove it. She had just paid good money for an update to Norton AV, so she was livid (extremely MAD).
After getting her permission, I disabled Norton, installed AVG FREE and did a full scan of her HD. AVG found and removed the one virus that Norton said it could not remove, then AVG found and removed another 150 more viruses. At that point the lady was on the phone to Symantec demanding her money back. She's still running AVG Free. Her PC actually ran better after I fully removed Norton.

While this is really funny, it's also nothing new.
I have considered Norton to be a (albeit "safe") virus for a while now, this just shows that someone recognized a good idea.

~Lordbob

The most valuable program ever put out by Symantec is the "Norton Removal Tool".
I use it on every call to any computer that I've never worked on before.

I made a service call to a lady's house one day, where Norton AV was telling her it found a virus but could not remove it. She had just paid good money for an update to Norton AV, so she was livid (extremely MAD).
After getting her permission, I disabled Norton, installed AVG FREE and did a full scan of her HD. AVG found and removed the one virus that Norton said it could not remove, then AVG found and removed another 150 more viruses. At that point the lady was on the phone to Symantec demanding her money back. She's still running AVG Free. Her PC actually ran better after I fully removed Norton.

Just a little trip down memory lane....

It's really funny how often you hear that story. But there is never a story with MSE messing up, and installing Norton to remove and fix it....

Please can anyone offer any tech advice? Event 11005 MsmSecurityHi there
Apologies im new but desperately need some clarification.
Towards the end of last year I had some security issues with my asus laptop, windows 7 premium 64, it began with my bank cards being cloned and credit card details being used (5 separate incidents). The laptop kept crashing,...

System Security

Smoking tech supportA funny story i found .. thought of posting it
After experiencing difficulties with his computer, a poor, incognizant user called the system maker's technical support line for assistance...
Technician: Hello. How can I help you today?
Customer: There's smoke coming from the power supply...

Chillout Room

Clueless Tech Support?There's another thread running regarding funny tech support stories regarding clueless users but how about the opposite where you call and get a clueless tech support person? Here's my story (kinda long):
About a year ago I came to my office one morning and found that my phone didn't work and...